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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386618">Maedhros and Fingon, A Romance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hilarita/pseuds/Hilarita'>Hilarita</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2005-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2005-09-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:26:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,470</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hilarita/pseuds/Hilarita</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fingon | Findekáno/Maedhros | Maitimo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Maedhros and Fingon, A Romance</h2></a>
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    <p>In the light of the trees they wandered, crossing the green slopes of the mountain, and as Maedhros the Tall wandered, he heard a voice uplifted in fair song, a song rejoicing in the light of the Trees.  And lo! over the crest of the ridge came Fingon, a slender elf, yet beautiful in that time before the morning of the world.  And Maedhros lifted up his voice to join that of Fingon, and most companionably their voices entwined in melody.</p><p>As each drew nigh the other, Maedhros spoke: 'Hail, fair Fingon.  Wilt thou tarry yet awhile?  I would have speech with thee.'</p><p>And Fingon tarried, and they spoke together, and looked upon the great light of the two Trees of Valinor.  And while they spoke, their hands touched and clasped.  Then Fingon spoke: 'Fain would I spend my time with thee, dearer than brother,' so he leant and kissed Maedhros the Tall.</p><p>Thereafter they oft were seen together, and though Morgoth sought to rift their houses asunder, still they remained faithful to one another and let no malice come between them.  Often they wandered in the light on the green swards of Valinor, or in the great city, while Fingon plucked his harp, and together they sang how naught would part them, and of the wonder of the land of the Valar.  Yet then Feanor and his sons locked themselves away, and Maedhros was filled with sorrow, for he loved his father, and yet was saddened at the sundering of the elf-kindred. And Fingon sighed, and said as they parted, 'Greatly do I love thee, yet I fear that darkness is coming, even from the light of the Silmarils.'  Yet when Ungoliant came, and the sons of Feanor fled, even in the darkness Maedhros met Fingon, and they embraced once more.</p><p>The day came when Feanor and his sons swore the great oath to hunt down the Silmarils, which caused them and their kin such strife and woe. As they vowed to venture to Middle Earth to reclaim the great jewels of the elves, Fingon was greatly moved by these words.  He would not be parted from his kin, from Maedhros.  And so he urged his father to join Feanor on the march, though he had little hope of speech with Maedhros again.</p><p>At the harbours of the Teleri, Fingon saw the troops of Feanor assailed, and not knowing the cause of such strife, he hastened forth to lend his aid for love of Maedhros the Tall.  So then, great with sorrow, he saw the ships depart, and later the great fire in the East, and he bethought then his slain kindred.  And bitter was his sorrow, yet still he yearned for Maedhros, and thus he found the strength to endure the terror and bitter cold of the Helcaraxe, and lead his people through.</p><p>But as Feanor slipped onto the ships, and ordered his sons to set sail, Maedhros looked back to where his lover was lying, and deep was his woe at the Fate that had driven them apart.  And when they reached the shores of Beleriand, he said unto his father, Feanor, 'Now what ships and rowers will you spare to return, and whom shall they bear hither first? Fingon the valiant?'<br/>
'Let the ships burn!' cried Feanor, and Maedhros stood aside, his head bowed, grieving for his valiant lover, whom now he had no hope of seeing again.</p><p>During the fight against Morgoth, Maedhros mused oft on his father's pride and untempered love for the Silmarils, which caused so much death among elvenkind, yet ever he reflected on the vow he had sworn to Iluvatar - an oath which could not be broken and which would ever pursue him.  And so, upon his father's death, having sworn a new oath, when Morgoth offered to treat with the sons of Feanor, he urged his brothers to accept, with the intent of setting a trap for Morgoth.  Yet Morgoth was wilier and more treacherous yet, bringing Balrogs, he set an ambush for the Noldor.  All the company was slain, and Maedhros was captured, and suspended from a lofty pinnacle of Thangorodrim, bound by a band of steel about his right wrist.</p><p>There hung he, in torment, yet he did not cry out.  The vast might of Angband could he perceive, and he despaired of the Elves' victory.  And he knew also none could rescue him, none elude the forces of Morgoth and scale the sheer cliff.  And in the darkness that surrounded Morgoth's stronghold, he recalled the light of the Trees in Valinor, and railed at the vanity of his father Feanor, and the folly of his own oath.  The forces of Fingolfin assailed Angband at the first rising of the sun, and Maedhros was blinded by the light, and he cried aloud, since none might rescue him, but he was not heard above the trumpets of the Noldor.  Yet Morgoth fled the sun, and gathering the darkness about him, wove, like unto Ungoliant, a vast net of darkness to shield Angband from the sun.  And still Maedhros hung there, wracked by torment, ever bound by the evil craft of Morgoth.</p><p>Fingon, learning of his plight, resolved to rescue him, and heal, perhaps, the feud of the Noldor.  He knew not of Maedhros' stand at the burning of the ships, yet he remembered their ancient love, and vowed to return to him.  Forth he went alone, telling none, into the blackness that surrounded Angband, evading the orcs, balrogs and other dread servants of he who wore the iron crown.</p><p>The dizzy heights of Thangorodrim he scaled, sure of foot, strong in hand, yet even his keen eyes could see no pass through.  And in despair in the darkness, he in some gesture of defiance took out his harp and sang a song from Valinor of long ago.</p><p>And lo!  From some yet higher pinnacle, he heard an answering voice, a voice that burned with pain, and looking up he beheld Maedhros, wracked with torment, replying to his lover out of some memory of the mountains of the Valar and the two Trees.  Fingon ran to the foot of that cliff, but he could see no way up, and Maedhros, mad in despair, knowing that Fingon alone could brave the cliffs of Thangorodrim, begged him for death, dark thoughts encircling his mind: 'My love, o, there is no hope here for me! Let me die, that I shall hang here and torment myself no longer!'</p><p>So Fingon, unable to refuse the plea of his lover, his dearest friend, took his arrow, and, his heart breaking with pity, prayed for mercy to Manwe.  He raised his bow to fire, and a tear slid down his cheek, but his hand was steady.  Manwe answered his prayer, and lo! as he bent his bow, Thorondor, mightiest of eagles, snatched him up and bore him, renewed in hope, whither Maedhros was bound.</p><p>Maedhros hung there, and cried aloud as his lover tried to free him.  Yet fast was he bound, by some evil charm of Morgoth, and he could not be released from the band, nor the band from the cliff.  Again Maedhros begged for death, unable to beat the torture of Morgoth longer, but Fingon would not despair, and weeping, he sought to free Maedhros.  Finally, he drew he sword, cut off Maedhros' hand, and as he fell, clasped him to him, and Thorondor bore them both to Mithrim.</p><p>There Maedhros was healed in body, and oft he walked with Fingon by the shores of Lake Mithrim, and practised at sword-fighting together, and Maedhros became more skilled than before, but with his left hand.  Yet Fingon perceived that there was some shadow within his friend.  His face now was lined with pain, lines most rare in elfkind, and Fingon saw with pain that the oath of Feanor was growing in his mind, eating like a canker, fed by the pains he had felt on Thangorodrim.  Yet even so, he loved his kindred, and rued their parting.  And Maedhros kissed his lover, and said, 'I see that the Silmarils have caused great strife among our kin.  I shall resign my lordship, and I pray that together we may defeat the might of Morgoth.'  Fingon was pleased, but yet he sensed that the strife of the Silmarils only slept.  And thereafter he walked more often alone, fearing for what his friend had become, a fell elf with a fey light in his eyes.  Still, Maedhros renounced his kingship, and the elf-kingdoms were set out, and from time to time Fingon visited Maedhros in secret, watching his friend burn ever more with anger that Morgoth had the Silmarils.  And he lived there in the north, eyes turned ever towards Angband and the home of the Enemy.<br/>
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